About 400,000 years ago in eastern England, a group of Neanderthals became skilled at making fire. They used flint and pyrite near a watering hole, a practice they repeated over generations. This discovery, now shared in a study published in Nature, rewrites our understanding of early human history. Until now, the earliest evidence of fire-making dated back only 50,000 years.
Nick Ashton, an archaeologist from the British Museum and co-author of the study, noted, “Many suspected this, but now we can clearly say it’s true.” Mastering fire marked a key moment in human evolution. Early humans likely cooked food with it, removing toxins and making meals easier to digest. Fire also provided warmth and protection from predators.
Over time, humans discovered other uses for fire. They created glue from cooked tree bark to attach stone tools. Around 10,000 years ago, they used fire to smelt metals, paving the way for civilization.
Tracing the history of fire use has its challenges. Natural events like rain can wash away evidence. Even when remnants of ancient fires are found, it’s tough to determine if they were man-made or sparked by lightning. The first signs of human ancestors using fire come from a site in South Africa, dating back 1 to 1.5 million years. Here, researchers uncovered burnt bones from animals but lacked proof that early humans made the fire.
Dr. Ashton explained that being dependent on lightning strikes for fire was unpredictable. The real breakthrough came when early humans learned to create fire at will, either by striking rocks together or using friction to spark flames. He said, “Once you can make fire, all those problems evaporate.”
In 2013, while studying the Barnham site, researchers discovered flints that had shattered from intense heat but couldn’t tell if humans or lightning caused the fire. Years passed before Dr. Ashton stumbled upon evidence of burnt soil, leading to an extensive four-year study. They concluded that Neanderthals had regularly used fire at Barnham, confirming a pattern of intentional fire use.
The presence of pyrite near burnt flints was key evidence. Anthropologists know that hunter-gatherer groups often use pyrite to create fire. However, the nearest pyrite source is 40 miles away, suggesting these Neanderthals intentionally transported it.
Ségolène Vandevelde, an archaeologist not involved in the study, praised the find, calling it a “convincing case.”
Still, questions remain. How common was fire-making among Neanderthals? Michael Chazan, an anthropologist from the University of Toronto, believes many groups likely relied on natural fires and that fire-making was a rare skill. In contrast, Dr. Ashton speculates that fire-making abilities may have spread more widely among early humans and their relatives like the Denisovans and modern humans.
He noted, “Once something takes off, it spreads quickly.” Currently, Barnham is the only known site with evidence of early fire-making, but Dr. Ashton encourages continued exploration. “The more effort you put into archaeology, the more rewarding it becomes.”
Additional Insights:
A recent study found that fire management practices in ancient societies were essential for agriculture. This suggests that mastering fire not only helped early humans survive but also contributed to the development of farming techniques. The transition from foraging to agriculture has shaped human history significantly.
You can read more about the latest findings on fire use and archaeology in reliable sources like the National Geographic. This marks an exciting chapter in our understanding of human history, linking technological advancements to survival strategies.
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